Welwalo Plays in Tripoli Today, and Sidama Hosts Al Hilal in Dire Dawa on Sunday

Ethiopia’s two clubs in African competition start the second qualifying round this weekend. Welwalo Adigrat University plays Al Ahli Tripoli of Libya today in Tripoli. On Sunday, Sidama Bunna hosts Al Hilal Omdurman of Sudan in Dire Dawa.

Both ties have two legs. The winners reach the group stages of the two club competitions run by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

A Home Game Far From Home

Welwalo is in African club competition for the first time in its history. The club from Adigrat earned its place by winning the Ethiopian Cup last season, Soccer Ethiopia reported.

Today’s game counts as Welwalo’s home game, but it will be played at Tripoli International Stadium. The club had first registered Dire Dawa Stadium. In a statement, Welwalo said it could not raise enough money to host the game. It then accepted an offer from Al Ahli Tripoli that included a payment and income from television rights and from the stadium, Soccer Ethiopia reported.

Al-Wasat, a Libyan news site, reported on October 9 that CAF had approved both legs in Tripoli. At a meeting on Thursday, the two clubs agreed to move the kickoff from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Ethiopia time, Soccer Ethiopia reported.

In the first round, Welwalo lost the first leg 2-1 to Hilal Al Sahil of Sudan in Kigali. It then won 2-1 in Dire Dawa on September 12 and took the penalty shootout 4-1, Ahram Online reported.

Al Ahli Tripoli beat its first-round opponent from Zanzibar 7-0 over two legs, Al-Wasat reported. Eram News reported that the Libyan club is coached by Hossam El Badry of Egypt.

Fans fill the stands at Tripoli International Stadium in Tripoli, Libya, then called the 11 June Stadium, during a game between Al Ittihad and Al Ahli Tripoli in January 2007 (BenTaher / Wikimedia Commons, public domain) [file photo]

Sidama and Its Injured Players

Sidama won its first Ethiopian Premier League title last season, which brought it into the CAF Champions League. In the first round, it drew 0-0 with Aiglons of Chad in N’Djamena. It then won 3-0 in Dire Dawa on September 13, Pan Africa Football reported.

Sunday’s game starts at 4 p.m. at Dire Dawa Stadium, according to the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA). In August, Soccer Ethiopia reported that CAF had approved only that stadium in Ethiopia for these early club rounds.

Sidama may be without important players. Soccer Ethiopia reported on Tuesday that captain Yared Bayeh, striker Mesfin Tafesse and midfielder Biniam Belay missed the team’s first training session in Dire Dawa. Yared and Mesfin were hurt in the league opener against the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia club, and both had medical tests. Biniam was away for personal reasons, not because of injury, the outlet said. The test results had not been reported by Friday morning.

Al Hilal beat Aigle Noir of Burundi 3-0 over two legs in the first round, Benin Web TV reported. The Sudanese club was due to travel to Ethiopia today. Its German coach, Joseph Zinnbauer, has moved four players to the reserve team before the trip, the website African Football reported on Thursday. The same report said Al Hilal wants to reach the group stage for the 10th season in a row.

Return Games Next Week

CAF said the first legs are played from October 16 to 18 and the return games from October 23 to 25. Welwalo will stay in Tripoli for its second game, while Sidama plays away.

Dire Dawa Stadium already hosted one big game this week. On Tuesday, Ethiopia’s women’s team, known as Lucy, drew with Rwanda there. Lucy won the tie 2-1 on aggregate and reached the third round of the 2028 Olympic qualifiers, Soccer Ethiopia reported.